What if it wasn't Katherine?
by Something Illusory
Summary: —1x22 scene turned DE—  He takes a step closer and explains, "Which means somewhere along the way you decided I was worth saving. And I…I wanted to thank you, for that."


The dress could have weighed a thousand pounds, for it was heavy in the arms of Elena. Slowly she stepped toward her house, expecting to rush inside and fall onto her bed exhausted from the day and its events. As soon as she made her way onto the stairs, the front door swung open. She looked up in surprise and expected it to be anyone else than who it was.

Damon seemed to be thinking intently but the expression on his face, it was clear he didn't mean to run into her. His forehead crumbled and he shut the door softly behind him.

"What are you doing here?" She asked lightly.

He took a deep breath and turned to face her. "A failed and..feeble attempt at doing the right thing." The way he said it made her wonder what he was up to. He had said it so casually, as if Damon doing the right thing was nothing to ponder over.

She wanted him to continue. "Which was..?"

He walks closer to her, shaking his head. "S'not important." His arms extend toward the dress in her arms. "Here, let me take this for you."

Numbly, she lets him. Their eyes meet for half a second before he turns away and places the dress on one of Aunt Jenna's porch chairs. Elena flinches, quite believing she's in a dream, and turns toward him. "Thank you." Her voice is flat. Who was this and why was he being so…so…un-Damon?

"You know I came to this town wanting to destroy it." He says quickly, before she even has a chance to comment. "Tonight I found myself wanting to protect it. How does that happen?"

And she almost falls to her knees because he looks so vulnerable and so confused, just pleading her with those blue eyes for an answer. But she's tongue-tied.

"I'm not a hero, Elena." he says at last. "I don't do good. It's not…in me."

Her eyebrows shoot up. Not _in_ him? That's insane. Perhaps Damon wasn't entirely a saint. He's killed people, he's lied, he's done so many horrible things…but good was in him and Elena knew it for a fact. Deep down, Damon Salvatore was a good man with good intentions. If only someone broke through to that good side. If only someone could turn him into a better man.

"Maybe it is." she challenges.

"No." he says and she realizes that the response was quick and sure. He's thoroughly convinced he's not good. "That's reserved for my brother..and you..and..Bonnie. Even though she has every reason to hate me she still helped Stefan save me."

She couldn't help herself - she needed to butt in. "Why do you sound so surprised?" Was he really so shocked that somebody would save him? That somebody wanted him here?

This answer, too, is quick and sure. "'Cause she did it for you." and his eyes hold no trace of regret speaking the words. He stares at her honestly and purely, hoping she'd understand how big that it was for him; that she, Elena, would save _him_. He takes a step closer and explains, "Which means somewhere along the way you decided I was worth saving. And I…I wanted to thank you, for that."

Elena nods, finally understanding him. The tiniest of smile tugs toward the corner of her lips. "You're welcome."

And then she sees it.

She sees what he is plotting in his mind. She sees how he looks down on her with those beautiful eyes, imagining what she tastes like.

And then his head is bent toward him and his lips, warm and plump, graze her cheek. Her eyes remain open, her forehead crumbled in confusion. He was kissing her cheek. It was just her cheek.

So why did her heart beat a mile a minute? And why did she feel like she was going to be sick with nervousness?

He pulls away slowly. She's conscious of his every move - but most of all, how warm he is. She could practically feeling the heat radiating off of him. She suddenly notices how chilly it is out on the porch, and how she is in nothing but a long sleeved shirt. Her head whirls.

They meet eyes, Damon's expression in awe that she hasn't begun protesting or shoving him away. She doesn't know why she isn't, only something is telling her that she shouldn't. That pushing him away would be useless. And now her skin is craving the touch of his lips again; more exact, her lips craving to know what his lips feel like.

His eyes flicker to her mouth, but she can't tear hers away from his face. He's too beautiful. Too pure. Too gentle. Too kind. Too caring. Too Damon. Too everything. Her mouth parts and he leans his face closer.

This can't be happening. It isn't.

_I'm in a dream._ She thinks quickly._ I'm in a dream and I'm not waking up. He's going to kiss me. I'm going to let Damon kiss me. I'm in a dream. This can't…_

He moves painfully slow, giving her the urge to tackle him. He's judging her reaction, testing her and making sure she isn't going to slap him.

And he's so close..

So she moves, both of their lips crashing halfway. And it is perfection. His lips, so warm and moist, moving with hers perfectly. Did somebody carve their lips to mold together like two puzzle pieces? It seemed that way. She has never experienced a kiss such as this.

Both of them sway before he pulls away slightly, parting their perfect lips for the first time.

And Elena can't stand it.

So she leans into him, their mouths opening and closing together in a much deeper and more passionate kiss than before. And this time their bodies are closer - her chest against his and his hands on his cheeks. He's so warm. _How could anybody be so warm?_

Just when she's consumed by Damon and can think of nothing else, a noise hits her ears. It's the sound of the front door swinging open.

Damon is the first to react, pulling his mouth away and turning away from the door sheepishly. Elena looks to identify the person that has rudely interrupted her perfect kiss.

And then, she frowns, dropping her arm from around Damon's neck.

"Hi." she blurts out. The expression on Aunt Jenna's face is disapproving and clearly in shock.

And yet, Elena boldly faces her. She does so because she can't stand Jenna for interrupting them. Why did she open the door anyway? Purposely? Did she purposely see how perfect their kiss was and she purposely opened the door?

Jenna's voice is unemotional. "It's late. You should probably come inside."

Elena nods and turns toward Damon. He is still standing with his back to the door, obviously not wanting to face neither Jenna nor Elena. So she steps around him, now reaching toward the dress that he had lay across the porch chair earlier.

Damon slowly turns to look at Jenna, but Jenna rolls her eyes and steps aside to let Elena in.

Without another word, the door is closed and both Elena and her aunt are gone.

Damon lifts his fingers to trace his lips, savoring the memory of when they were pressed against Elena's.

Undoubtedly, that was the single most mind blowing kiss of his life.


End file.
